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Abstract

This thesis aims to describe the association between cigarette smoking and maternal factors amongst a cohort of Pacific mothers utilising data from a longitudinal Pacific Islands Families: First Two Years of Life (PIF) Study.

Mothers of a cohort of 1398 Pacific infants born in Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand during 2000 were interviewed when their infants were six weeks old (n=1376) and followed up at 12 and 24 months. This thesis used data from the 6-week and 12-month phase (n=1219). The interviews included questions regarding mothers cultural, socio-economic, health situation and lifestyle behaviours such as cigarette smoking. Crosstabulations and logistic regression were applied to investigate the association between health, demographic, social, cultural, and educational factors with rates and patterns of smoking.

Overall, 29.8% of mothers smoked at one year follow up, more started smoking (9.6%) than stopped (4.4%). Smokers were more likely to be 20-29 years old, Niuean, born in New Zealand, non-partnered, full-time parents, living with other smokers, earning $301-450 per week, experiencing overcrowding and smaller housing, speak English fluently, and more culturally aligned to mainstream New Zealand culture. Formal education qualifications, parity, and type of house they lived in were not significantly associated with smoking.

It is anticipated that these findings may assist tobacco control agencies in addressing smoking behaviours for Pacific people.